About
I am a Lecturer in the Quality Enhancement and Innovation team at the Institute of Educational Technology (IET) at The Open University, UK. My research and teaching focus on Generative AI in Education, Learning Analytics, and instructional technologies, with a strong emphasis on ethical, inclusive, and institutionally grounded approaches.
I co-founded and lead OpenAIED, a special interest group that fosters cross-institutional knowledge exchange on AI in education. With a PhD in Learning Analytics and over 15 years’ experience in educational technology, my work spans strategic and applied research projects across the UK, EU, and internationally.
I play an active role in the University’s AI adoption strategy and co-lead a CPD course on Generative AI for Educators, supporting staff in building confidence and capability in the use of emerging technologies. As Deliverable Lead on the EU-funded ADMIT project, my work focuses on developing educational and ethical frameworks for integrating generative AI in higher education — with particular attention to diversity, inclusion, academic integrity, and digital literacy.
Selected AI projects and initiatives include:
- AIDA – An institutional AI digital assistant prototype designed to support student learning. I led the design of pedagogical roles and co-developed evaluation frameworks to explore its impact across learning contexts.
- SCRIBE – A GenAI-powered authoring assistant for curriculum teams, aimed at enabling more efficient, user-centred course and content creation. I led on design-based research, iterative testing, and academic evaluation, ensuring institutional alignment and pedagogical integrity. (https://scribe.open.ac.uk/)
Beyond AI, my contributions extend to EU- and UK-funded projects on trust-based e-assessment, inclusive digital pedagogy, and knowledge-sharing in policing. I have held co-investigator and leadership roles on major research bids, including the UK Research and Innovation Centre for Doctoral Training in AI in Education (£4.4M) and the Economic and Social Research Council Research Capability Hub (£4.8M), where I lead the Delivery workstream.
From 2018 to 2026, I served as Academic Lead for the Research Career Development (RCD) programme (now Researcher Development Programme), supporting over 1,400 academic researchers and 900 postgraduate research students. This work helped bring together a comprehensive portfolio of professional development opportunities for colleagues across all career stages.
I also acted as institutional lead for the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers between 2018 and 2021, overseeing the University’s six- and eight-year Concordat Implementation Plans, which led to the successful retention of the award. I continue to serve on the Concordat Steering Group, shaping strategic commitments to researcher growth and development.
My work brings together strategic leadership, research and innovation, and capacity building—with a strong commitment to advancing ethical and inclusive uses of AI and digital technologies in education.
Biography
Dr. Duygu Bektik is a Lecturer (Assistant Professor) at the Institute of Educational Technology at the Open University, UK, a role she has held since 2018. As the Academic Lead for Research Career Development, she oversees professional development activities for OU's research staff across all career stages. Dr. Bektik is also the co-founder and academic lead of the OpenAIED (Open University's AI in Education) special interest group, established in 2019. She has contributed to multiple projects exploring the use of generative AI in teaching and learning. Additionally, she co-chaired the FutureLearn microcredential HZFM882: Online Teaching: Evaluating and Improving Courses and is currently authoring a CPD course on generative AI for educators. Dr. Bektik also serves on the executive committee of ACM-W Europe as the Celebration Chair.
Dr. Bektik has over 15 years of experience in computer science, education, and instructional technologies. She earned her Ph.D. in Learning Analytics from the Knowledge Media Institute at The Open University, UK, where she focused on using writing analytics, specifically automated meta-discourse analysis in student writing, to support essay assessment practices. She also holds B.A. and M.A. degrees in Computer and Instructional Technologies from Bilkent University, an MSc. in Software Engineering from the University of Southampton, and a teaching certificate for ICT in primary and secondary schools. Her teaching experience spans Turkey and the UK.
External Projects:
Dr. Bektik is a mixed-methods researcher experienced in interviews, focus groups, questionnaire design, and advanced statistical analyses such as regression and Jaccard analysis. Her project portfolio includes:
- TeSLA: Developed an adaptive trust e-assessment system for authenticating learners in online and blended learning environments.
- ABC Learning Gains (HEFCE-funded): A longitudinal study evaluating the scalability of the Affective-Behaviour-Cognition model in higher education.
- EVALUATE (Erasmus+ funded): Investigated educational interventions to develop digital and language competencies in future EU teachers.
- PKE (Police Knowledge Exchange): Explored barriers and enablers for knowledge-sharing within and across police forces.
- ADMIT: Focused on creating educational and ethical frameworks for integrating generative AI in higher education, addressing diversity, inclusion, academic integrity, and digital literacy.
Internal Projects:
Dr. Bektik has contributed to internal initiatives at the Open University, including:
- Single Component Assessment: Examined the impact of determining module assessment scores using an averaged approach versus threshold-based evaluation.
- PVC-RI Challenge: Led the three-phased project developing the Authoring Assistant, a GenAI tool for short course authoring, involving staff upskilling, iterative testing, and wider implementation.
- AIDA (Artificial Intelligent Digital Assistant): Collaborated with KMi to design an AI assistant for OpenLearn, exploring its potential to support student learning.
Publications
2025
2024
2023
2021
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2009
Awards
As part of The Open University’s Open Science Laboratory project, received full PhD funding
by the Wolfson Foundation
Best demonstration award
at the Learning Analytics and Knowledge Conference in 2014
Exceptional achievement award
at Bilkent University in 2011
Listed as high honour student each semester
at Bilkent University (2006-2010)
Received 100% merit scholarship towards the undergraduate and masters studies
from Bilkent University
Research programmes
Expertise
Research students
-
KW
Kendal Wright
Professional memberships
- Member of the British Educational Research Association